I finally got to participate in my first Sketchcrawl, yeah!!!. Although I got there late about 3 p.m. but was able to at least get in two color sketches. It was a real treat to see everyones sketchbook at the end, some really, really nice work. Looking forward to number 20 and actually sketching for the whole day. Here's my humble offerings to this post.

I drove in from the central valley, and was a bit late because of an accident on Highway 37. So here was my first sketch on the day:
Then got to Fort Point, and was immediately struck by how cold it was. I was dressed for hot weather, since they had said on the radio that it was going to reach 100 degrees in the city.
Then I became struck by a view from the courtyard of the fort, where you are looking up at the lighthouse on top of the fort, and high above and beyond it is the underside of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a very compelling view, and I see a lot of people attempted to sketch that. I did too, and I'd have to say it was probably the most complicated sketch I'd ever attempted--it chewed me up and spat me out! But I tried, and here was the result (plus a photo of the same view):
It's bizarre to think that at some point people thought that lighthouse was real high up!
Then I sat in the car to warm back up, and got a bit too hot:
Heat must have cooked my brain, seeing as I misspelled the brand of the marker...
Here was my one watercolor attempt:
Then I walked over to the meeting place, which was a park at Crissy Field. The place was packed with people, and it seemed like no two people were doing the same thing. So I decided to try to depict as many different activities as I could see there:
And of course, one of the activities I saw was people sitting/standing around sketching!
It was a very fun day

Hey great stuff! I wasn't able to stay as long as i wanted but here are some of the ones that turned out nice.

eli- i like you boldness of colors, i need to stop being wimpy and carry around thick gauche.
cameron-c really cool splotchy shapes which work and just look awesome.
splinesmith- has these very cute characters too!

I got there much later than I wanted to. I saw Enrico on his way out of the fort as I was on my way in and didn't know what he was talking about it being cold and all until I sat down to draw. Here is the lighthouse looking like a Victorian lunar landing module beneath that spectacular arch of the Golden Gate Bridge.

And here is a quick sketch of one of the upper passageways, a few of the cannons that were on display on the ground floor (too bad they've been removed from the parapets), that tripod /winch thing, and fellow crawler Justin looking rather heavily defended. I found the passport-style souvenir stamp at the Warming Hut at the end of the day.

I was packing some acrylics that day with some FW inks. I usually pack my guache but it felt like a good day to break out the plastics. I can't wait to see more of everyone's work. This is the best part of being an illustrator, getting to see other artists' work. What a show!

Hi everyone. This was my first SketchCrawl and it was definitely a good time. The sketchbook sharing at the end of the day was really inspiring... almost intimidating. Unfortunately, I'll probably be doing future SketchCrawls in SoCal, since that's where I live these days. Here's a few sketches.

Great stuff! I am full of admiration how well you all managed to sketch something so difficult (to me anyway) as the underside of the Golden Gate Bridge! I had give up after five minutes
Enrico - I love your quick sketches of people!

I was disappointed to discover that a memorial I was attending was on the same day as the SketchCrawl, leaving me no choice but to miss yet another chance at meeting you all. Oh well -- next time (I hope!).

eli, i immediately saw the influence and its impact from your years of studies in your sketchbook. your style and your interpretation are wonderful, in my opinion, and define an interesting personal aesthetic. it's rare to see such complete looking illustrations inside a sketchbook. your sketchbooks are some of the ones to wait around for while they're being handed from person to person in the crowd!
thanks for sharing!

We are living in a time when civilization has become highly expert in the art of destroying human beings and increasingly weak in its power to bring meaning to their lives. --Ben Shahn